People these days are taking supplements to support the health of their joints. Some take joint supplements to prevent pains from developing while others take them to relieve current pain. The majority of joint supplements work by easing inflammation and protecting the joint cartilage, which is the material resting between bones. They also contain natural ingredients like chondroitin and glucosamine that have no known side effects.
If you’re concerned about your joint health, you may want to consider taking such a supplement. But for you to get the most out of joint supplements, it’s important that you know how to take them properly to maximize their efficiency and avoid problems.
To put you on the right track, here’s a list of tips on how to take joint supplements appropriately and safely:
Table of Contents
1) Make Sure The Joint Supplement Has Glucosamine
Knowing what exactly you’re reading on the label can be difficult when it comes to a supplement. The truth is reading the label often makes you feel like you’re reading in a foreign language.
Nevertheless, when taking joint supplements, make sure they contain glucosamine sulfate. When taken orally, this ingredient will work to build up the connective joint tissues. What’s more, when you combine it with sulfate, the entire connective progression can complete itself. Remember, without sulfate, the progression will stop.
You may also want to take a joint supplement with omega-3 like Relief Factor and others. Omega-3 plays an important part in supporting joint health. It prevents enzymes from damaging your joints and it’ll also help in reducing inflammation. With that in mind, if you have rheumatoid arthritis or knee pain, taking a supplement with omega-3 can be a great help.
2) Start On Your 30’s To 40’s
Most people reach their nutritional and hormonal peaks at around 25 to 30. After that period, they’ll need to pay attention to their lifestyle and diet to delay the harmful effects of aging.
Every person comes with a certain amount of glucosamine in their body. But keep in mind that as you get older, this level will decrease. Unless you’re eating or supplementing a diet rich in glucosamine, you’ll begin to encounter joint aches from time to time as you pass or approach the age of 35. This happens because your body will need a higher level of glucosamine to sustain healthy cartilage.
3) Compare The Label
When it comes to supplements, getting cheap options isn’t highly advisable because they might only give low efficacy. Even though some generic supplements for joints will offer you benefits, most of them may contain inactive ingredients that won’t do anything for your health.
So, before you buy a joint supplement and take it, you must compare the labels of every product you see. In case a generic joint supplement has the same components as the branded ones, you can opt for a generic one. However, if the branded supplement has more nutrients, don’t think twice and take it; after all, it’s for your safety.
4) Store Your Joint Supplement In The Right Place
With plenty of joint supplements in the market, know that there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to storing them. The best place to keep your supplement is in a cool and dry place. It’s because humidity and heat may alter the chemical makeup of certain joint supplements. This reaction, on the other hand, may lessen the efficacy and beneficial properties of the supplement. In case you’re using a liquid supplement, refrigeration is needed to keep it fresh.
For those who are taking an omega-3 fatty fish, which is one of the best-selling joint supplements, it should be stored in a dark and cold place since the pills are prone to degradation from oxygen, heat, and light. However, if you’re experiencing a smelly fish burp from this supplement, consider keeping it in the freezer so it’ll bypass your stomach completely.
Nevertheless, some joint supplements have instructions on how to store them on their label or packaging, so be sure to read them and comply.
5) Don’t Take Calcium Concurrently
Calcium is one of the most familiar nutrients that are closely associated with joint and bone health. What’s more, it’s the nutrient that helps in keeping your bones healthy and strong. Calcium supplements for joints may help in reducing joint pain and inflammation, particularly in the knee joints.
If you’re supplementing with calcium, you should avoid gobbling a mega dosage every day. For better results, take in a small dose of less than 500mg since the body can’t absorb tons of calcium all at once.
6) Take Your Supplement As Directed
Keep in mind that taking your joint supplement as directed doesn’t only mean you need to pay attention to the recommended dose. It’s also crucial to carefully read all your over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications, so you’ll have an idea of how the supplement could interact with the foods or medicines you’re taking.
Make sure to always take your joint supplement based on the directions on the label. Some joint supplements must be taken with food for better absorption while others can be consumed on an empty tummy. For instance, fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D, which strengthens the bones, should be ingested with meals consisting of some type of fat to help with absorption.
Nevertheless, it’s best that you talk with a doctor regarding the supplements and medicines you’re taking to ensure that everything is fine.
Final Say
Aside from taking supplements, you can do many other ways to maintain healthy joints like exercising daily or having a fitness routine and choosing healthy snacks and diets.
Those mentioned above are some of the general and most essential tips you need to consider when taking a joint supplement. Though you can get such supplements without any prescription, it’s still highly recommended that you consult a medical expert before starting any supplement for joint health. Keep in mind that a supplement may not be necessary for everybody. Thus, your doctor can help you identify a joint supplement that you’d need.
